What next for electronic communication and health care?

doi:10.1136/bmj.328.7449.1143

BMJ 2004;328:1143-1144 (15 May), doi:10.1136/bmj.328.7449.1143

Editorial

What next for electronic communication and health care?

New tools that require new thinking

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

The past decade has brought a range of electronic communicationtools that promised to improve health care. As editors of thistheme issue, we invited submissions describing how these innovationshad lived up to their promise.¹ These are our reflections onwhat we did and did not receive.

The editorial announcing our theme issue resulted in the submissionof nearly 100 articles—more than has been submitted forany other theme issue. The snapshot they provide shows thatnew media and communication tools are already transforming theway in which we communicate, learn, and think. The expansionof the internet, the launch of personal electronic assistants,and the penetration of wireless networks are making new relationshipsbetween doctors and the public possible. At the same time, theyare exposing the weaknesses of our conventional approaches toclinical care, education, and evaluation of new interventions.

We believe that we are just scratching . . . [Full text of this article]

Alejandro R Jadad, director

Centre for Global eHealth Innovation, University Health Network, Toronto General Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada M5G 2C4

Tony Delamothe, web editor

bmj.com, BMJ, London WC1H 9JR

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Reference 9 - correction: Gunther Eysenbach
bmj.com, 13 May 2004 [Full text]
Three barriers to effective electronic information systems: Usability, usability, usability: Douglas S Badenoch, et al.
bmj.com, 17 May 2004 [Full text]
Computer Generated Patient Interviewing: Richard O Sills
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Utilizing the potential of the humble mobile phone: Anatole S Menon-Johansson, et al.
bmj.com, 3 Jun 2004 [Full text]
Potential reasons for lack of health outcome measures: Laura A. O'Grady
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